Adhesive applying apparatus



April 25, 1944. w, VQN HQFE 2,347,445

ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS I I Filed Sept. 13, 1941 2 Sheets Sheet 1 IINVEIIVTOR. 7 GEORGE W vo v IL/OFE A TTORA/EY April 25, 1944. e. w. VON HOfE I 2,347,445 ADHESIVE APPLYING APPKRATUS Filed Sept. 13, 194]. Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. Gsoeez" 144 V0 Hon:

A 7'T0/PNEY Patented Apr. 25, 1944 UNITED mamas annnsivn APPLYING ArrAaA'rUs Application September 13,1941, Serial No. 410,674

4 Claims.

The invention relates to adhesive applying apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for applying adhesive to labels or their equivalent.

The invention has for its object the provision of a novel apparatus whereby the adhesive may be applied to the labels or their equivalent, in predetermined distinctive ways in contradistinction to applying coatings of adhesive over entire surfaces of said labels or their equivalent.

The invention contemplates primarily the provision of novel apparatus for so-called spot-gluing and for applying the adhesive to predetermined surface portions of the labels or their equivalent and leaving other surface portions thereof free from or without adhesive.

Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits,

Fig. l is an elevation partly in section of the novel apparatus embodied in a labeling machine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the novel apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of an operating disk included in the novel apparatus, and

Fig. 4 is a face view of a label showing'an example of adhesive application as performed by the novel apparatus.

For purposes of illustration and description and without intent to define the limits of the invention, the novel adhesive applying apparatus is shown as embodied in a labeling machin of the type disclosed in the Apfelbaum Patent No.

1,711,257, of April 30, 1929.

The type of labeling machine illustrated in the drawingsincludes transfer means whereby labels, or their equivalent, are transported from a label pick-up station to a label applying station for application to the articles for which said labels, or their equivalent, are designed.

In the form shown the transfer means comprises a carriage ID slidably mounted on guideways H suitably fixed on the frame of the machine. The carriage I is provided with a pickup device illustrated as a suction head l2 adjustably supported on said carriage l0 and reciprocated thereby between the pick-up station at which a supply stack of labels is or their equivalent is located in a container M, and the label applying station at which a support l5 for the articles A to be labeled is mounted in any convenient manner. Suitable provision is made to enable the suction head I2 to pick up terminal labels l3 from the upper end of the supply stack at the label pick-up station and to apply said carried labels to the articles A on thesupport l5 at the label applying station.

In the illustrated example the labels l3 carried by the suction head l2 receive applications of adhesive during the transfer of said labels l3 to the applying station of the machine. In many instances it is desirable for one reason or other to spot-glue such labels or to apply the adhesive in predetermined distinctive ways in contradistinction to completely coating an entiresurface of the labels or their equivalent with adhesive. For instance, the adhesive may be applied in the form of. parallel bands or in spaced relation to each other as shown in Fig. 4.

The novel adhesive'applying apparatus whereby the aforesaid and other distinctive applications of adhesive may be effected comprises an adhesive applying roller is in tangential receiving relation to or in contact with an adhesive distributing roller 51. The latter dips into a supply of suitable adhesive contained in a receptacle it supported in any convenient manner on a bed plate lg forming part of the frame of the labeling or other machine in which the novel apparatus is embodied.

The adhesive distributing roller H is fixed upon a shaft 20 which is rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 2i projecting upwardly from the bed plate it, while the adhesive applying roller i5 is carried by a'shaft 22 journalled in bearing blocks 23 movably mounted in guideways 25 provided in levers 25 pivoted on the shaft 2t. For the purpose of yieldingly maintaining the roller it in adhesive receiving relation or in contact with the roller ll springs 26 may be located between the bearing blocks 23 and the end portions of the levers 25, as shown in Fig. 1. The levers 25 are connected by a cross rod 21 and each is provided with a lug 28 movable .between stop screws 29 adjustably mounted in ears 30 forming part of the bearing brackets 2i. The arrangement is such that the adhesive applying roller I6 is adjustable or movable to and from an operative position in adhesive applying relation to a label l3 carried by the suction head i2 in the travel of the transfer carriage H] from the label pick-up station. to the label applying station of the machine. Suitable means is provided for adjusting or moving said adhesive applying roller I6 to and from said operative position in predetermined sequence during the transporting of a given label by said suction head and its carriage l0 over the predetermined path between said pick-up station and label applying station whereby adhesive is applied to a surface of the transported label I3 in a predetermined distinctive manner in contradistinction to applying a coating of adhesive over said surface of the label throughout its entirety.

. In the illustrated example the aforesaid means comprises an operating member or rod 3I having its one end pivotally connected at 32 with the cross rod 21 and provided at its opposite end with a forked member 32a which slidably straddles a driving or power shaft 33 included in the labeling or other machine and operated in any suitable manner as shown for instance in the Apfelbaum patent referred to hereinbefore. A roller 34 is mounted on the forked member 32a in rolling engagement with the peripheral surface of a controlling disk 35 fixed upon the shaft 33. The peripheral surface of the disk 35 stack of labels I3 to cause the suction head I2 to pick up successive terminal labels I3 from said stack and to transport the carried labels to the applying station. At the applying station the carried label I3 is deposited on the article A on the support I5, for instance, by moving the suction head I2 downwardly on the carriage III.

During these operative steps the suction in the suction head I2 is controlled in operative synchronism therewith to effect the desired results. As the carried label I3 is transported over the predetermined path defined by the guideways I I, from the pick-up station toward the applying is formed with a low portion 36 of predetermined circumferential extent and located in concentric relation to the axis of the shaft 33. For the purpose of shifting the applying roller I6 to and from the aforesaid operative position in predetermined sequence to provide the desired distinctive application of adhesive to the transported label I3, the disk is provided with a controlling member 31 which is attached to a side surface of the disk 35 in registry with the low portion 36 thereof and preferably so as to be adjustable in the direction of the circumference of said disk 35. Any suitable means may be provided for effecting the adjustment of the member 31 as, for instance, by providing the latter with slots 38 for the accommodation of set screws 39 whereby the controlling member 31 is fixed in an adjusted position on the disk 35. The controlling member 31 is designed to convert the low portion 36 of the disk 35 into .more fully set forth hereinafter.

As the carriage I0 and suction head I2 is reciprocated in the manner set forth above, the

' shaft 33 will be operated to thereby cause the means adapted to c0'-operate with the roller 34 so as to bring about the desired adjustment of the adhesive applying roller I6 to and from its operative position in the predetermined desired manner. It will be understood that the roller 34 is dimensioned to properly co-operate with the controlling member 31 as shown in Fig. 2. In the illustrated example the controlling member 31 is provided with a plurality of projections 40 arranged to project outwardly beyond the low portion 36 at spaced intervals and with recesses 4I located between the projections 40 either in surface registry with the low portion 36 of the disk 35 or inwardly beyond the same. In the form shown in the drawings the controlling member 31 is located approximately midway of the low portion 36, it being understood however that this is not an arbitrary requirement. Suitable provision may be made for maintaining the roller 34 in operative engagement with the disk 35 and the member 31; for instance, as shown, a coil spring 42 may be located on the rod 3| with its opposite ends in engagement respectively with the bed plate I9 and with a collar 43 secured on the rod 3I preferably so as to be adjustable lengthwise thereof.

In the operation of the labeling machine selected for purposes of illustration and description the carriage I0 is reciprocated on the guideways II by suitable mechanism as disclosed, for instance, in the Apfelbaum Patent No. 1,711,257, to shift the suction head I2 from the label pickup station to the label applying station and back again. At the label pick-up station provision is made, for instance, by periodically elevating the disk 35 to be rotated with said shaft 33. While the roller 34 remains in rolling contact with the high portion of the disk 35, the operating rod 3I will occupy a raised position to thereby maintain the adhesive applying roller I6 in its inoperative position below the plane or away from the path traversed by the reciprocated suction head I2. As the latter with a label I3 in position on its active surface begins its travel from the label pick-up station to the label applying station, the roller 34 in the illustrated example will drop to the low portion 36 of the disk 35 under the influence of the spring 42 and thereby will cause the operating rod 3| to move downwardly whereby the levers 25 are pivotally actuated on the shaft 20 in a direction to shift or move the adhesive applying roller I6 to its operative position in adhesive applying relation to the path of said transported label I3. As the travel of the carriage I0 and suction head I2 toward the label applying station continues and as the rotation of the disk 35 correspondingly continues, the roller 34 will pass over the projections .40 and into the recesses 4| of the controlling member 31 and finally will pass from the low portion 36 of the disk 35 back to the high portion thereof. As a result the rod 3I will be raised and lowered in alternate sequence to correspondin'gly adjust or move the adhesive applying roller I6 from the aforesaid operative position and back to said operative position in spaced intervals depending upon the dimensions of the projections 40 and the recesses 4| and those parts of the low portion 36 which lie be- Fig. 3. At the same time those portions of said.

surface of the transported label I3 lying between said adhesive bands a remain uncoated with adhesive because of the fact that at these stages the roller 34 is in engagement with the projections 40 of the controlling member 31 and the adhesive applying roller I6 in consequencetemporarily occupies its inoperative position out of adhesive applying relation to said transported label It.

, Obviously the character and nature of the controlling member 31 may be varied to produce many difi'erent types of distinctive applications of adhesive to the labels l3 during a given adhesive applying period occurring while the labels are being transported from the pick-up station to the label applying station or to effect so-called spot-gluing of said transported labels l3. It is to be noted that during the return movement of the carriage iii and suction head I! subsequent to the application oi the label is at the applying station, the roller it will be in rolling engagement with the high portion of the disk 35 so that the adhesive applying roller is maintained in its inoperative position during such return movement whereby soiling of the suction head l2 or its equivalent with adhesive is prevented.

During an operative period of the machine the. lug 28 in cooperation with the stop screws 29 serves to arrest the rocking movements of the levers and to thereby insure the correct positioning of the adhesive applying roller l6 as will be evident.

The novel adhesive applying apparatus is simple in construction and eflicient in operation and requires no particular supervision at any time. The novel adhesive applying apparatus furthermore is capable of being installed in existing labeling machines without material diificulty.

It will be clear from the description that the adhesive applying apparatus automatically applies the adhesive to the transported labels in a predetermined distinctive manner, for instance as illustrated by the spaced bands of adhesive (1. shown in Fig. 4, in contradistinction to applying a coating of adhesive over the surface of a transported label throughout its entirety.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a. labeling machine including a label pickup station and a label applying station and means for transporting a label over a given path from said pick-up station, that improvement which comprises adhesive applying means movable to an operative position in adhesive applying relation to the transported label during the travel of said transporting means over said given path, and mechanical means for repeatedly moving said adhesive applying means to and from said operative position in predetermined sequence within the surface limits of said label during the transporting thereof in adhesive receiving relation to .saidadhesive applying means whereby adhesive is applied to a surface of the label in a predetermined distinctive manner in contradistinction to applying a coating of adhesive'over said surface throughout its entirety.

2. In a labeling machine including a label pick-up station and a label applying station, and means for transporting a label over a given path Irom said pick-up station, that improvement which comprises adhesive applying means movable to an operative position in adhesive applying relation to the transported label during the travel of said transporting means over said given path, and mechanical means for moving said adhesive applying means to and from said operative position a given number of times in alternate sequence within the surface limits of said label throughout the transport thereof in adhesive receiving relation to said adhesive applying means whereby adhesive is applied to a surface of said label in the form of spaced bands.

3. In an adhesive applying apparatus including pivotally mounted levers, and an adhesive applying roller rotatably mounted on said levers, that improvement which comprises an operating member connected with said levers, a; rotatable operating disk having an operative cycle and being eflective onsaid operating member to maintain said adhesive applying roller in a constant position throughout a portion of said operative cycle, a controlling member carried by and r0- tatable with said operating disk, and means on said controlling member effective on said operating member to pivotally rock said levers and thereby oscillate said adhesive applying roller to and from its operative position throughout the remainder of said operative cycle of said operating disk.

4. In an adhesive applying apparatus including pivotally mounted levers, and an adhesive applying roller rotatably mounted on said levers, that improvement which comprises an operating member connected with said levers, a rotatable i operating disk having an operative cycle and being effective on said operating member to maintain said adhesive applying roller in a constant position throughout a portion of said operative cycle, a controlling member adjustably carried by and rotatable with said operating disk, and means on said controlling member effective on said operating member to pivotally rock said levers and thereby oscillate said adhesive applying roller to and from its operative position throughout the remainder of said operating cycle of said operating disk. GEORGE W. von HOFE. 

